Ranking the Top 5 Players Arsenal Could Sign on a Free Transfer This Summer

Arsene Wenger loves a bargain. With that in mind, he'll surely be scouring world football for players who will be available on a free transfer this summer.

Although Arsenal's financial firepower has increased, Wenger will still want to be as shrewd as possible in the transfer market. After all, recruiting a player without a transfer fee frees up funds to allocate elsewhere.

With the Gunners likely to have to spend big money to tie Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez down to new deals, they'll have to be astute when it comes to allocating their funds.

In this piece, we identify five players who are out of contract this summer* and rank them according to their ability to improve the Arsenal squad.

Read on to discover the first name that could be on Wenger's shortlist this summer.

*According to Transfermarkt

5. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

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Wenger loves to gamble on exciting attacking talent. After all, it wasn't too long ago that he rolled the dice and signed Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting would be a surprising addition, but he has some basic attributes that make him the kind of player Wenger admires. He's quick, a powerful dribbler and extremely versatile. Most of his football this season has been played on the left wing, from where he's scored three goals in 13 Bundesliga starts for Schalke 04.

While Choupo-Moting has almost certainly flickered on Wenger's radar, he's doesn't necessarily have the requisite quality to justify potentially blocking the development of Alex Iwobi.

It would certainly raise eyebrows if Wenger moved to recruit the 27-year-old this summer.

4. Pablo Zabaleta

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Arsenal may need a new right-back this summer. As things stand, Gabriel Paulista is being forced to fill in as Hector Bellerin's understudy, with doubts over the long-term futures of Carl Jenkinson and Mathieu Debuchy.

If Wenger wants to opt for a short-term solution with plenty of Premier League experience, Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta could be a strong contender.

Wenger has shown in the past he's prepared to sign defenders heading towards the end of their career, with Mikael Silvestre and Sol Campbell both joining well into their 30s. Zabaleta's experience and versatility would make him a handy squad player.

Former Arsenal man Bacary Sagna is also reportedly out of contract at Manchester City this summer. He told Sky Sports (h/t Ciaran Kelly of the Manchester Evening News):

"

I'm not thinking about it because it's a long way away. I need to enjoy my football first, and I want to give my best when I play.

I want to give the confidence back to the club. I'm totally focused on the season.

I'm not worried about it. No [they haven't spoken to me] but I wouldn't listen at the minute because I am totally focused on the season. I'm not sure they have my number anyway.

"

However, it's unlikely that Wenger would bring the Frenchman back to north London. What's more, Sagna is actually a year older than Zabaleta.

Age is what counts against the Argentinian most. He's 32 now, and as he gets older, injuries are going to become increasingly problematic.

3. Mario Balotelli

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If it was suggested that Arsenal might be interested in signing one of Ligue 1's top scorers, a player who has propelled unfancied OGC Nice into the title picture, then most observers would nod sagely and suggest that sounds like a good idea.

Mention that his name is Mario Balotelli, and the same people would run away screaming.

That would be an understandable response. The Italian has had a chequered career, and Liverpool found it difficult to get him of their books last year.

Come the summer of 2017, he's likely to be much more in demand. Balotelli has rehabilitated himself with Nice, and he is finally showing signs of fulfilling the potential that convinced the likes of Manchester City and AC Milan to sign him up in the past.

Balotelli has made no secret of his admiration for Arsenal, and he told Chinese publication Xinhua in December (h/t the Mirror's Hamish Mackay):

"

[If I go back to England] for sure not Liverpool.

Because I found myself [performing] very bad in Liverpool. I said the team was good and the fans are amazing, but I would never go back to Liverpool.

The first one I think in England is Manchester City, and the second team I always like is Arsenal. That doesn't mean I'll go to play there. I just like them.

"

That said, he does not seem an obvious Wenger signing. The Gunners boss is unlikely to want to take on the challenge of taming Balotelli, especially with so much attacking talent already in the squad.

Of all the names on this list, Balotelli arguably has the most talent. However, question marks over his character effectively rule him out of the running for a move to Arsenal.

2. Rachid Ghezzal

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Arsenal have been linked with a bid to sign Lyon's unsettled winger Rachid Ghezzal.

According to Mark Irwin of The Sun, the Gunners have been offered the opportunity to hijack Everton's bid for the Algeria international. Lyon seem resigned to losing Ghezzal, especially having forked out to sign Memphis Depay from Manchester United.

The 24-year-old is at his best operating on the right wing, from where he cuts in on to his preferred left foot. In that respect, he's not entirely dissimilar to countryman Riyad Mahrez.

Ghezzal's technical style makes him an obvious fit at Arsenal. However, having failed to hold down a regular place with Lyon this term, it's unlikely that he would be anything more than a squad player in north London.

1. Sead Kolasinac

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Arsenal will almost certainly need a new left-back this summer, and they could do far worse than look at bringing in Schalke's formidable defender Sead Kolasinac.

According to Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Metro's Mark Brus), Wenger has already identified the Bosnia and Herzegovina international, 23, as a potential addition for 2017/18. He has been in outstanding form at Schalke this season, even scoring twice for the German outfit.

With Nacho Monreal not getting any younger and Kieran Gibbs likely to seek more first-team football elsewhere, Arsenal will need cover and competition at left-back. They will struggle to find a better deal than getting Kolasinac on a free.